The Rage of the Beast
by Tina101
Summary: 100 years post BD...BD SPOILERS! It's been 100 years, and the Cullens are back in Forks. Only this time, things go from bad to worse when a new vampire enters the mix, along with drama coming from Nessie and Jacob along the way. Rated for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The Rage of the Beast The Rage of the Beast

**Chapter 1:**

It was twilight. The sun's last rays crept through the wall of glass, casting a warm glow across the familial scene. Emmett was lounged across the staircase with Rosalie's head in his lap. He was running his fingers through the soft hair fanned out across his lap as they spoke in barely audible whispers. Esme was busy playing the piano in the far corner of the vast room while Carlisle sat in a nearby armchair reading a large leather-bound book. Every once in a while, when he thought no one was looking, he would look up at her with nothing but love in his eyes. On the other side of the room, Edward and Alice were playing chess; it was a more mental than physical game, but that made it more exciting for everyone else as they waited for the loser to knock down his or her king. Jasper was sitting on the couch half watching TV, half watching the game with Bell, who was doing Nessie's hair, and Jacob sat on the floor next to Nessie. It was a perfect snapshot of a typical evening in the Cullen household.

The chess game only lasted about five minutes before Edward flicked over his king in defeat. A victorious smile spread across Alice's face as she bounced lightly over to the couch and leapt gracefully onto the seat next to Jasper. Scowling, Edward swept the pieces and board back into the box and returned the box to its place on the shelf. Nessie struggled to suppress a yawn but was utterly unsuccessful.

"Okay, time for you and Jacob to head home," Bella said firmly. Rarely did she actually use her maternal authority, but that didn't stop the fact that she _was_ a mother. Knowing that she was actually right, Nessie got to her feet. Jacob followed in suit and put a supporting hand on the small of her back.

"Night," she said before giving both her parents kisses and disappearing out the front door with Jacob.

Edward took Nessie's vacant seat on the floor in front of Bella. She gently combed her fingers through his hair once.

"Ready to go home?" he asked her.

"Let's go," she replied. Graceful as ever, they both stood up.

"Bye you guys," Alice chirped as jasper slid an arm around her slender shoulders. Bella slipped her delicate hand into Edward's, and they made their way to the front door. as they passed the staircase, they noticed that Emmett and Rosalie were gone. The couple exchanged brief, knowing looks but continued on their way.

The pace through the woods was slow and relaxing. Bella and Edward took their time walking home hand-in-hand, simply enjoying the moment.

"I love you," he whispered as he broke free momentarily to slide his arm around her delicate waist. Smiling, she leaned into his touch.

"I love you too," she replied contently.

"You know that our anniversary is coming up." Bella scowled. She had totally forgotten about that up until that moment. "It'll be one hundred years."

"Uh-huh."

"maybe we could go down to South America for a week or so, just us." A smile spread across Bella's face. South America sounded incredibly relaxing.

"That sounds wonderful."

"And Alice is planning a party." That caused her to freeze. A low growl erupted from within her.

"She's _not_ throwing us a party." Edward gently approached her and wrapped his strong arms around her.

"Now Bella, it's our one hundredth anniversary, and the only condition for this party is that she won't throw you a birthday party next month." That caused her to relax slightly. "all it'll be is a few hours with our family. It will be just like tonight, relaxing and celebrating some-"

"Only with Alice going completely overboard with decorations," Bella grumbled.

"Esme's doing her best to keep her from going too far. Afterwards, you and I will head off to South America." The more Edward spoke of an escape to South America, the more Bella fell in love with it. Vacations for them were few and far between; Bella felt extremely uncomfortable leaving Nessie for extended periods of time despite their daughter's age. She sighed.

"Okay, but I'll have to talk to Alice about not going too crazy."

"That's all I ask," Edward assured before planting a loving kiss on her forehead, and they continued on their way.

The second the cottage door was closed, Bella grabbed Edward by the collar of his shirt and crushed her lips against his. He held her firmly by the hips, holding her there. Slowly, his lips traveled down the smooth skin of her neck as she ripped open his shirt. Alice would probably kill them for ruining yet another shirt, but they really didn't care.


	2. Chapter 2

The Rage of the Beast The Rage of the Beast

**Chapter 1:**

It was twilight. The sun's last rays crept through the wall of glass, casting a warm glow across the familial scene. Emmett was lounged across the staircase with Rosalie's head in his lap. He was running his fingers through the soft hair fanned out across his lap as they spoke in barely audible whispers. Esme was busy playing the piano in the far corner of the vast room while Carlisle sat in a nearby armchair reading a large leather-bound book. Every once in a while, when he thought no one was looking, he would look up at her with nothing but love in his eyes. On the other side of the room, Edward and Alice were playing chess; it was a more mental than physical game, but that made it more exciting for everyone else as they waited for the loser to knock down his or her king. Jasper was sitting on the couch half watching TV, half watching the game with Bell, who was doing Nessie's hair, and Jacob sat on the floor next to Nessie. It was a perfect snapshot of a typical evening in the Cullen household.

The chess game only lasted about five minutes before Edward flicked over his king in defeat. A victorious smile spread across Alice's face as she bounced lightly over to the couch and leapt gracefully onto the seat next to Jasper. Scowling, Edward swept the pieces and board back into the box and returned the box to its place on the shelf. Nessie struggled to suppress a yawn but was utterly unsuccessful.

"Okay, time for you and Jacob to head home," Bella said firmly. Rarely did she actually use her maternal authority, but that didn't stop the fact that she _was_ a mother. Knowing that she was actually right, Nessie got to her feet. Jacob followed in suit and put a supporting hand on the small of her back.

"Night," she said before giving both her parents kisses and disappearing out the front door with Jacob.

Edward took Nessie's vacant seat on the floor in front of Bella. She gently combed her fingers through his hair once.

"Ready to go home?" he asked her.

"Let's go," she replied. Graceful as ever, they both stood up.

"Bye you guys," Alice chirped as jasper slid an arm around her slender shoulders. Bella slipped her delicate hand into Edward's, and they made their way to the front door. as they passed the staircase, they noticed that Emmett and Rosalie were gone. The couple exchanged brief, knowing looks but continued on their way.

The pace through the woods was slow and relaxing. Bella and Edward took their time walking home hand-in-hand, simply enjoying the moment.

"I love you," he whispered as he broke free momentarily to slide his arm around her delicate waist. Smiling, she leaned into his touch.

"I love you too," she replied contently.

"You know that our anniversary is coming up." Bella scowled. She had totally forgotten about that up until that moment. "It'll be one hundred years."

"Uh-huh."

"maybe we could go down to South America for a week or so, just us." A smile spread across Bella's face. South America sounded incredibly relaxing.

"That sounds wonderful."

"And Alice is planning a party." That caused her to freeze. A low growl erupted from within her.

"She's _not_ throwing us a party." Edward gently approached her and wrapped his strong arms around her.

"Now Bella, it's our one hundredth anniversary, and the only condition for this party is that she won't throw you a birthday party next month." That caused her to relax slightly. "all it'll be is a few hours with our family. It will be just like tonight, relaxing and celebrating some-"

"Only with Alice going completely overboard with decorations," Bella grumbled.

"Esme's doing her best to keep her from going too far. Afterwards, you and I will head off to South America." The more Edward spoke of an escape to South America, the more Bella fell in love with it. Vacations for them were few and far between; Bella felt extremely uncomfortable leaving Nessie for extended periods of time despite their daughter's age. She sighed.

"Okay, but I'll have to talk to Alice about not going too crazy."

"That's all I ask," Edward assured before planting a loving kiss on her forehead, and they continued on their way.

The second the cottage door was closed, Bella grabbed Edward by the collar of his shirt and crushed her lips against his. He held her firmly by the hips, holding her there. Slowly, his lips traveled down the smooth skin of her neck as she ripped open his shirt. Alice would probably kill them for ruining yet another shirt, but they really didn't care.

**Chapter 2:**

Alice paused from her work to chew on the top of her pen. Bella eyed her sister-in-law warily from the other side of the dining room table. Alice looked up at her and smiled.

"Don't worry, Bella, I'm not planning your anniversary party," she assured. "I'm studying."

"That's a first," Emmett joked from his seat on the couch where he, Jasper and Edward were playing some sort of video game. Alice shot him a deadly look.

"What are you studying?" Esme asked in an attempt to keep the peace.

"I'm trying to learn German," Alice replied smugly. Emmett rolled his eyes. He couldn't understand everyone's excessive thirst for knowledge around here. Every time he turned around, someone had a monstrous book laid open across their lap with microscope print across the faded yellow pages. They had an eternity for fun, not to go to school!

Edward abandoned the game and crossed the room. Wordlessly, he slid into the chair next to Bella. They had some things to talk about, but now definitely wasn't the time. He wanted to put this off for as long as possible, but time was running out for him. it was a delicate situation, and he had to think of the best way to approach it.

On the way home, Bella took notice to Edward's distance. She longed to press the matter, but something told her not to. That only caused her to be more stressed and anxious as they raced through the woods towards their cottage. At last it came into view. Edward slowed to a stop right outside the door and opened it for his wife. She flashed him the faintest hint of a smile before entering the quaint main room.

The second the door was closed, Bella rounded on Edward. Even though he couldn't read her thoughts, he knew what was on her mind. He took a deep breath and thought up of the best way to approach the situation.

"Nessie came to me a few weeks ago and asked me about enrolling in public school," he stated rather bluntly. Bella opened her mouth in automatic protest, but he held up his hand to stop her. "Listen to me, please. I talked to Carlisle, and everyone thinks that it would be a good idea for all of us to enroll in school this term." A growl escaped Bella's lips.

"I'm glad I was considered in this decision about my daughter," she snapped. He approached her and took her in his strong arms.

"Of course it's our decision, love. I'm just telling you that everyone else is enrolling in school, and I want to also. I'm getting tired of this home schooling act."

"What about Nessie?"

"She _wants_ to do this, Bella, and I think that it will be good for her. She'll get the chance to make some new friends."

"Do you know how dangerous that can be for us!?" Edward pressed a firm finger to her lips.

"Nessie's a brilliant girl; she won't do anything unwise. She won't be alone; we'll all be there with her too. I'm making this decision without you, but now you know how I feel about this." Bella bit her bottom lip, a human habit she had never been able to abandon.

"Let me think about it," she slowly relented without completely giving in.

Edward was hunting, and Nessie was with Jacob at La Push, giving Bella a chance alone to think. They were all starting to become restless sitting around all day everyday, maybe school would be a good idea. Bella's main concern, however, was Nessie. Nessie was special, even more special than the rest of the Cullens. The constant threat of the Volturi caused Bella to worry even more so than what was necessary. She knew that she was only being an extremely paranoid and suffocating mother, but that didn't silence her fears. There was so much that could go wrong in public school. At the same time, Edward had some valid points. They would all be there with Nessie if, God forbid, something went wrong. There was also the fact that it had been her idea. She had been the one to approach Edward, the one who was more lenient with everything except Jacob, with the idea. Deep down inside, Bella knew that she couldn't deny the one thing she wanted more than anything. Reluctantly, Bella decided to go back to high school.

It was after three in the morning by the time Edward returned from hunting. Bella heard Carlisle and Rosalie outside heading home. She muted the television but didn't get up from her curled up position on the couch. Edward took a seat next to her and slid his arm along the back of the couch behind her.

"I thought about it," she told him as she slid closer against him.

"And?" he prompted.

"And I think that it'll be fine to enroll in school again." Smiling slight, he leaned over and planted a loving kiss on her temple.

"I'm glad. I love you so much."

"I love you more." He smiled playfully.

"That's not possible." He kissed the corner of her mouth softly, teasing her.

"What do you want for your birthday next month?" he asked completely out of the blue.

"Nothing," Bella replied firmly. There was a tone of finality in her voice that he knew better than to question. Alice was already pushing the envelope with the anniversary party, and Edward wasn't about to make a bad situation worse.

Meanwhile, Nessie was curled up safely in Jacob's arms with her heard on his broad chest. He was fast asleep, and she was on her way there. She sat up momentarily to look at the face of the love of her life. Nearly a hundred years together, and she still couldn't believe how lucky she was. There was also a pang of guilt. Jacob kept talking about moving in together. It wasn't something new, however, every five or ten years he brought it up hopefully, and every five or ten years she'd dance around it for a few months until he finally stopped asking. Nessie felt some sort of obligation to live with her parents. Even they stayed with the rest of the Cullens for a week or so on end at times. That was the reason she had her own bed at the Cullen's house for that very purpose. When she thought about staying at La Push permanently, it just didn't feel right to her. Sure it was Jacob's hometown, but here was a cold attitude extended to her because of who her family was. Living there comfortably would be nearly impossible for her because of who she was.

Very carefully, Nessie ran her fingers through Jacob's soft, jet-black waves and planted a loving kiss on his forehead.

"I love you," she whispered in her ear before planting a kiss on his cheek and curling up against him. The heat from his body no longer made her feel uncomfortable. Instead, it acted as a sort of security blanket to her. Whenever Jacob had his arms around her, she felt absolutely safe.

**Chapter 3:**

The


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

The morning of Bella and Edward's anniversary dawned bright and clear. Despite the joyful connotation with the day, Bella found herself dreading whatever Alice was planning for her. She knew that Esme had done her best to keep Alice calm, but that was easier said than done.

Sighing, Bella stretched out across the couch and closed her eyes. She lost track of time until she felt someone climb over her on the couch and lay down next to her. she smiled and opened her eyes to see Edward resting his head on her chest comfortably. She ran her fingers through his hair.

"Happy anniversary, honey," she whispered.

"Happy anniversary." The couple laid there, lost in their own unique thoughts for several minutes, until Edward sat up slightly. "I got you a gift." She growled in protest. "I didn't spend a lot on you, I promise," he assured before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a beautiful necklace. It was the outline of a 14 karat gold heart with delicate gold swirls going towards a ruby cut in the shape of a heart in the center. The pendent hung on a delicate chain that was actually incredibly strong.

"Edward-" He pressed a firm finger to her lips.

"Shh, love. I have a right to get my wife a gift on our anniversary, so I got you this. Sit up so I can put it on you." Bella happily complied. She sat up and turned around slightly as she swept her hair off her neck. Edward brushed his lips across the back of Bella's neck before he fastened her gift around it. Right away her fingers flew to the hollow in her neck where the necklace settled and carefully fingered it.

"Thank you," she whispered. Edward was usually _amazing_ about not buying her things; most of his gifts went to Nessie then, so she knew to appreciate when he broke their silent agreement. She knew that his heart was always in the right place.

Back at the Cullen's house, Nessie and Jacob were helping Alice put up some last minute decorations. True to her word, things actually weren't that bad. Just like Edward and Bella's wedding, there were plenty of flowers, but Esme had somehow managed to keep Alice pretty calm.

"Mom's gonna _hate_ having a party," Nessie commented as she straightened a vase of lilies on top of the piano.

"She'll live. She's survived parties in the past," Jacob commented with a shrug. Alice shot him a dirty look. It was no secret that she hoped that Bella would eventually get over her hatred for celebrations. A hundred years had come and gone without any change, but they had an eternity to work on it.

"Why does she hate parties so much?" Nessie pressed; she _loved_ parties.

"She's always been like that; it's just how she is," Alice replied with a bitter undertone.

Edward and Bella arrived exactly at five that evening just like Alice mandated. There were flowers all over the place, but it didn't look tacky. Alice had an artful way of overdoing it.

"Happy anniversary, honey," Esme gushed the second the couple entered the front door. She squeezed each of them and gave them a motherly kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Mom," Edward said politely. More and more lately he had taken to referring to Esme as 'Mom.'

"Thank you Esme." Edward slid his arm around Bella's slender waist, and they entered the house. Right away they were literally tackled by Alice.

"See, I didn't go overboard," she commented before throwing her arms around the both of them at the same time.

"Did you guys behave yourselves today?" Emmett joked, earning him a whack from Rosalie.

"Please don't; these _are _my parents," Nessie commented from her seat on Jacob's lap. In her hand was a crystal wine glass filled with red wine. While Edward eyed their public display of affection, Bella eyed the glass of wine. Because of Nessie's youthful appearances, both of her parents felt a certain level of protectiveness towards her. Nessie flashed her parents a momentary knowing look before nuzzling Jacob's neck affectionately.

The party was small and simple, much to Bella's undying appreciation. All they really did was sit together as one big family and spend time together. The only thing that made it different from a typical night at the Cullens' was the brief giving of presents.

"This one is from me and Carlisle," Esme said as she handed over what was obviously a book wrapped perfectly in white wrapping paper. As Bella took the package, she gave her mother-in-law a skeptical look. "Don't worry, we didn't buy something expensive." She shook her head. Cheap by the Cullens' standards was still outrageously expensive. She carefully tore off the paper revealing a deep blue photo album with a gilded gold border. Edward reached over and opened the album. The very first photo was one from their wedding. Bella ran her fingers over the smooth plastic protective cover. She flipped the page only to find a picture of her, Renee and Charlie. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as Bella stared down at her long dead parents for the first time in ages.

"Bella, love?" Edward asked as gently as possible after nearly a minute of heavy silence.

"I'm fine," she insisted, slamming the album shut.

_I'm sorry_, Esme thought. Edward shook his head ever so slightly as he slid his arm around Bella.

The celebration began to wind down around midnight. While Nessie talked with Carlisle and Rosalie, Jacob discreetly pulled Edward and Bella into the kitchen to talk privately. They had a good feeling as to what this was about.

"Edward, Bella, I want to ask Nessie to marry me on her birthday," he said outright. Bella and Edward looked at each other. A hundred years of being together, it had taken Jacob hundred years to work up the nerve to propose.

"Are you asking us for our permission?" Edward questioned. Jacob nodded.

"Yes, it seemed like the thing to do." Bella looked at her husband with sparkling eyes; he knew her thoughts on the issue at hand.

"You have our permission." Jacob's signature lopsided grin spread across his face, and Bella rushed forward to hug him. Hopefully he'd officially be a part of their family soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

It was a typical cloudy afternoon in Forks. Two friends were walking down the street when one noticed a mysterious looking teenage girl standing outside a store across the street.

"Who's that?" the first girl asked.

"Who?" The second saw who she was talking about. "Oh her, she's one of the Cullens."

"The Cullens? Doesn't your dad work with a Dr. Cullen?"  
"Yeah, he's her dad."

"There's no way he's old enough to be _her_ dad."

"He's her foster dad. Dr. Cullen and his wife have a whole bunch of them, like eight foster kids or something like that. They're really weird. Apparently they're home schooled and don't hang out with anyone but each other." The first girl shrugged.

"Let's go say hi!" With that said, she dashed off across the street.

Nessie waited impatiently for Jacob to come out of the auto shop. She was thinking about the 'hunting trip' they had gone one earlier when a girl who appeared to be about seventeen with red curly hair skidded to a stop in front of her.

"Hi, I'm Carly," she chirped. Nessie smiled politely.

"Renesme Cullen." Carly gave her a weird look. "You can call me Nessie." A girl with shoulder length straight brown hair appeared cautiously next to Carly.

"Oh Nessie, this is my friend Anna." Nessie extended her hand towards Anne politely.

"Nice to meet you."

"Same here. My dad works with you dad at the hospital." Nessie stopped for a second as Anna's words sank in.

"My dad?" a sudden realization of what she really meant washed over her. "Oh, you mean Carlisle! That's cool." The sudden war of a motorcycle tearing down the typically silent street caught the attention of all three girls. Of course, Nessie knew who it was almost immediately.

Emmett flew down the street on his bike with Rosalie's thin yet iron-like arms around his waist firmly. She pressed her lips between his shoulder blades in a loving kiss. As soon as he saw Nessie, he sped up to see her. He braked when he got close, stopping right next to Nessie. Her face lit up when she saw him and Rosalie.

"Hello Renesme," Rosalie said. Nessie scowled at the sound of her full name, but she still bounced over to her aunt and uncle. She didn't even notice Anna and Carly gaping at Rosalie and Emmett's sheer beauty.

"Where are you guys going?"

"Camping for the weekend," Emmett replied with a knowing glitter in his youthful eyes.

"Well, have fun."

"You have fun with your new friends too. It'll be nice for you to be with someone other than that dog." Nessie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Rosalie. "Okay, okay, sorry. We'll see you later." Rosalie winked at Anna and Carly before the motorcycle jumped to life, and the couple sped away.

"Who, who was that?" Carly stammered, still in shock over Rosalie and Emmett's beauty and grace.

"Oh, that's just Rosalie and Emmett," Nessie replied with a simple shrug as if it was no big deal. "They're my brother and sister; well, foster brother and foster sister."

"Is it just you three?" Anna asked; her curiosity was starting to get the best of her. Her father constantly spoke highly of Dr. Cullen, but few knew the details about him, his young wife and their wealth of foster children.

"There's me, my sister Bella, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie." The cover story for the Cullens had been drilled into Nessie's head quite literally since birth.

"Wow," Anna commented, causing Nessie to blush just like her mother. "Sounds like fun."

"Yeah, I guess. It's pretty nice to have so many people together in one house." Carly glanced at her watch briefly.

"Oh crap, we have to go, Anne." She turned to Nessie. "Lemme get your number so we can get together soon."

"Okay, let me get yours too," Nessie agreed enthusiastically. Once phone numbers were exchanged, Anna and Carly dashed back across the street, leaving Nessie along feeling, for the first time in years, like she had some _real _friends outside the family and Jacob.

Nessie was so deep in thought that she didn't even realize that she wasn't alone until she felt a familiar arm slide around her waist and pair of lips press against the top of her head.

"Who was that?" Jacob asked. He had seen her talking to Carly and Anna and hung back in the shop to give her some space. Of course blondie couldn't provide Nessie with the same luxury.

"Some girls who live here. Carlisle works with the father of one of them. We might get together soon." There was no denying the excitement in Nessie's voice as they began to walk down the street hand in hand towards her Mercedes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

"But Mom!" Nessie argued. "Why not?" Bella sighed. It was moments like this that made her feel bad for everything she had done to Charlie and Renee.

"I didn't say no, I said that I'd talk to your father," she defended.

"That might as well be no," Nessie grumbled as she stomped off to her room.

Once she was alone, Bella flopped down on the couch and put her head in her hands. Nessie wanted to have a sleepover with some of her new human friends, and Bella found herself with certain…reluctance. Without a doubt, there was danger in bringing humans into their world; it made keeping their secret so much harder. Nessie didn't fully understand this as well as the rest of the Cullens; her experience with the Volturi was limited to the one instance following her birth, thankfully.

The second Edward got home; he could sense the tension in the air from the earlier argument. Silently, he took a seat on the couch next to Bella and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"What's wrong love?" he asked her softly. She shrugged him off bitterly.

"Nessie wants to have these two human girls sleepover, and I don't agree with it," she replied as she got to her feet stiffly.

"Why not?" Edward prompted; he remained seated on the couch.

"Because it's dangerous to bring two humans into a house full of vampires! So much could go wrong if they come, like-"

"Like you?" A low growl escaped from Bella, and her gaze hardened.

"That's not what I meant, Edward Cullen, and you know it! She may become too close with these girls, and what's going to happen when we move again?"

"And putting her in school won't prevent this from happening?" Edward's voice remained the ever-calm voice of reason while Bella boiled over.

"That wasn't my idea either! Since you seem to be so smart about raising _our_ daughter, you can make all these decisions!" she screamed before storming to their room and slamming the door, with surprising control, behind her.

Somehow, Nessie managed to doze off during the fighting. It was incredibly lonely in bed alone; Jacob was at La Push for a few days taking care of a few things. The bed was cold and vacant, but she still fell asleep until about three that morning.

Bella was sitting up in bed flipping longingly through her photo album when she heard the bedroom door creak open. She looked up to see Nessie cautiously poking her head in.

"Mom?" she whispered. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Nessie scrambled onto the bed like a small child and rested her head against Bella's shoulder. Her gaze drifted down to the photo album in her mother's lap.

"It's Charlie," she breathed. A sad smile graced Bella's lips. Nessie pressed her hand to her cheek, flashing images of the first time she and Charlie had met. "He always seemed so hesitant to be around us for long periods of time."

"Our way of life never completely settled with him," Bella pointed out sadly before turning the page. The next picture was of Edward and Bella from their first prom together.

"You guys look so beautiful!" Bella scowled.

"You were gorgeous that night," Edward commented from the doorway. Their heads shot up in surprise as he approached them and sat on the other side of Nessie. He had been silently watching his two girls for several minutes and thinking about how lucky he was to have two such amazing girls in his life. Nessie nestled against Edward just like she used to do as a small child. He wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her upper arm as they continued to flip through the album. Every so often, Edward or Bella would comment on one of the photos, but, for the most part, it was a silent affair.

Bella stopped on a picture of the three of them taken shortly after the Volturi's visit and asked, "You remember that Renesme?" There was no response. She looked up and saw that Nessie was fast asleep.

"I'll be right back," Edward whispered before picking her up bridal style and carrying her back to her bedroom. Bella silently closed the album and returned it to the bottom shelf of her nightstand.

Edward returned moments later. Without any warning, he leapt into the air and landed directly on top of Bella, pinning her to the bed. No matter how much she wiggled, she couldn't break free from her husband's iron grip. He immediately attacked her neck with loving, yet forceful, kisses.

"Edward," she moaned as her fingers found their way to his windswept hair.

"Say my name again," he pleaded.

"Edward." His mouth captured her in a heated kiss.

The next morning, Nessie awoke to feel a warm body pressed against hers. She smiled. Jacob passed out asleep on her bed next to her. He was absolutely adorable when he slept. As much as Nessie longed to stay in his arms forever, the growing pit in her stomach told her that she had to go get something to eat. She placed a feather soft kiss on his forehead before carefully climbing out of bed and gliding out to the kitchen.

In the kitchen Bella was struggling to make Nessie breakfast. The source of distraction came from Edward. He had his arms wrapped around her waist firmly and his lips pressed against her neck. Nessie cleared her throat, causing them both to look up.

"Morning Nessie," he said cheerfully as he finally let go of Bella.

"Morning Dad," she replied sleepily as she flopped down into her seat at the table. "How long has Jake been here?"  
"Only an hour or two," Bella replied as she slid a plate of eggs in front of Nessie. Her constant craving for eggs during her pregnancy had no doubt been passed on to Nessie. "So Nessie, I did some thinking about this whole sleepover thing, and it's fine if we're all careful." Nessie's eyes lit up.

"Really?" in a split second, she was on her feet with her arms flung around Bella's neck. "Thank you, Mom!" Bella returned the hug. It was amazing how something as simple as a sleepover made Nessie so happy. Chuckling, Edward shook his head. The scene was ruined by Jacob trudging into the room still mostly asleep.

He yawned loudly and asked, "What's for breakfast?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

It was the big day; the day of Nessie's sleepover. While she waited impatiently for Carly and Anna to show up, she paced back and forth in the foyer. Jasper chuckled as he came down the stairs.

"I don't think Esme will appreciate it if you wear a hole in her floor," he joked. She shot him a dirty look.

"I'm a little nervous," she snapped.

"Don't be, you need to focus on having fun tonight." A wave of relaxation washed over her. She longed to be angry with Jasper, but his powers made it impossible. "Remember, have fun tonight," he said with a wink before heading out to the garage.

The sound of a car driving down the driveway caught Nessie's attention. By the time she got out the door and to the driveway, Jacob was climbing out of his latest project. In a flash, she flung herself through the air and latched herself to him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

"I missed you," he commented as his strong hands slid under the butt to hold her up.

"I missed you more," she whispered before pressing her lips against his. Without breaking off the kiss he lowered her to the ground and pressed her up against the driver's side door. He cupped her face gently with his right hand, running his thumb over her soft cheek, and slid his left arm around her waist.

"I'd stop that before Edward catches you," Alice chirped in her usual sing-song voice as she skipped from the garage to the house. Jacob shot her a dirty look.

"Hey, look here at me," Nessie said firmly as she took his face in her hands and turned him towards her.

"Tomorrow night I am all yours." She began to flash images in his mind of them hunting and participating in some of their other favorite activities. Jacob's trademark goofy smile spread across his face.

"Sounds like a date." Tomorrow would be the _perfect_ day to propose. He captured her lips in a much tenderer kiss briefly before the sound of another car coming down their driveway caught their attention.

"Oh, Carly and Anna are here!" Nessie exclaimed as she pushed him away. There was nothing but excitement in her eyes. When she tried to break away from Jacob, he refused to let go.

"Come on, let me go! My friends are almost here," she protested. He pecked her once on the lips before lopping up the porch and into the house.

As soon as Jacob was inside, a barely running jeep rounded the corner with Carly behind the wheel. She honked briefly as a greeting, and Nessie waved. Carly pulled to a stop along the side of the driveway behind Jacob's truck. It was then that Nessie noticed that the bed of the truck was covered by a blue tarp.

"Hey Nessie," Anna gushed as she climbed out of the passenger's side. "I had no clue there were houses all the way down here." Nessie shrugged.

"It's really nice to live back here, like we live in our own little world," she replied. Carly got out of the jeep.

"Whose car is that?" she asked in amazement.

"Oh that, that's my boyfriend's," Nessie replied as if it was no big deal. Carly hadn't even seen the rest of their uber expensive sports cars and European cars around back in the garage.

"Oh, who's your boyfriend?" Anna teased. She almost reminded Nessie of Alice in a way.

"He lives in La Push on the reservation."

"Those guys over there are _so hot_!" Carly gushed. Nessie laughed. Already, she could tell that having fun tonight was going to be the least of her worries.

In the garage, jasper was trying to fix up his dirt bike. The plan was for him, Emmett, Edward and Jacob to go out later that night. His attention, however, was far from his dirt bike. At the moment, he had Alice pinned down to the workbench in only her jeans and a thin cami. His shirt was somewhere on the other side of the garage. Without thinking about it, he shifted the majority of his weight to his hand braced against the table next to her head. The sudden addition of weight caused the wood to crack and groan, but Alice and Jasper were too caught up in the passionate moment to hear. The table couldn't take anymore weight, and it gave out, sending the couple crashing to the concrete floor with a shockingly loud 'thud.'

"Shit," Jasper muttered as soon as he realized what had happened. Breaking furniture was common in the Cullen household, but it still pissed Esme off to the extreme.

"Are you guys alright?" Carlisle asked from the door leading to the house. The loud noise had sent him flying down from his office.

"We're fine," Alice assured from under Jasper. When Esme saw what happened, she shoved past her husband.

"When will you all stop breaking my furniture!?" she cried. "If you keep this up, I'm just going to stop buying new furniture!"

"We're sorry, Esme," Alice insisted sympathetically as she shoved Jasper off of her. "It was an accident." Sighing, Esme walked away, muttering something about it always being an accident. Carlisle grabbed Jasper's shirt, which had founds its way into an empty flowerpot next to the door, and tossed it over to him.

"Please try to be more careful next time, especially when Nessie has friends over," he scolded calmly before leaving. Alice and Jasper looked at each other; they had completely forgotten about Nessie and her friends. Hopefully all of the noise was quickly explained away by Edward; he was by far the best at coming up with plausible stories at the drop of a hat.

Other than Jasper and Alice's minor mishap in the garage, the evening went by pretty uneventful. The Cullens went to "bed" around midnight, and the guys, save for Carlisle, snuck back out with ease and met Jacob out front.

"Let's hit the road!" Emmett bellowed as he began to hoisted the bikes out of the bed of Jacob's truck with zero effort.

"Carlisle said to walk the bikes away from the house and start them up there," Edward explained. "he doesn't want us to wake the girls."

"'Kay, let's go!" Emmett urged. He was always anxious to get going. Living so close to humans put certain…restrictions on their activities, which just made him more and more restless. He always needed something to do, and being a vampire only made that more difficult.

The boys wheeled the bikes far enough away from the house before mounting them. One by one, they kick started the engines, revved the bikes and flew into the dense forest. It wasn't as fast as running, but there was still a thrill involved.

Nessie awoke before Carly and Anna. Being half-vampire allowed her to function on less sleep than normal humans. She crept upstairs and cautiously pushed open the door to Alice and Jasper's room. It was eerily quiet throughout the entire house, making her afraid that she was going to walk in on some certainly traumatizing scenes. Instead, she walked in on the usual scene in Alice and Jasper's room; clothes were flying out of the closet at an alarming rate, and Jasper was sitting hopelessly on the bed with his headphones on and his eyes closed. As soon as the door opened, his eyes opened, and he smiled.

"Did you have fun last night?" he asked as he took off the headphones. A plaid miniskirt narrowly missed hitting Nessie, causing him to sigh once again. "Are your friends still asleep?"

"Yeah. I actually need an outfit to borrow for today, all of my clothes are back home, and it would look weird if I didn't change."

"Help yourself; _please_ help yourself," he joked, motioning towards the growing mountain of clothes.

"Don't you dare, Jasper Whitmyre!" Alice exclaimed hotly as she stormed out of the closet.

"Can't you spare an outfit or twenty for your niece?" he asked. She shot him a scathing look that told him to keep his mouth shut.

"You can borrow an outfit, Nessie." It was amazing how easily her voice switched from a hateful scold to her usual sweet, sing-song voice. "Follow me." Nessie trailed after her into the vast closet.

Nessie knew better than to get in the way of Alice when she was playing dress-up. She simply watched from the doorway as he aunt gently ran her fingers over the different fabrics.

"Something simple, please," she reminded, earning her a frustrated sigh.

"you're so like your mother," Alice complained as she tossed her a pair of fitted jeans and a pink button down blouse. "How's that?"

"Perfect, thanks!" Nessie gave her a brief one-armed hug before rushing out of the extensive closet. It wouldn't be a surprise if she found out that Alice had a larger clothing selection than most stores.

Anna and Carly left the Cullens' house around noon with exciting promises of more future plans at each others' houses. After they left, Nessie was all smiles. Her smile only grew when Jacob arrived at the cottage to take her out for the evening.

"Hi there, beautiful," he whispered huskily as he slid his hand around her waist and pressed his lips against hers in an Earth-shattering kiss. "Ready for the best night of your life?"

"You know it," she replied innocently before brushing her lips past his. "Let's go." Their fingers automatically laced together, and they left.

The romantic evening began with Nessie and Jacob hunting. They raced through the forest side by side; him as a wolf and her as herself. He was completely immersed in the pursuit of a herd of deer, but a yellow glint caught her attention. Without warning, she swerved towards the mysterious object. Slowly it came into view, revealing it to be a BMX bike. She slowed down a jog. What in the world was a bike doing way out here? They were miles from the nearest civilization or human contact. Curiosity got the best of Nessie, and she circled around the bike. It was then that she noticed that there was something pinned under the bike. With little effort, she shoved the bike aside and screamed at what she saw.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Jacob hovered in the bushes, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Right as he leapt through the air, he heard a terrible scream. Fear completely consumed his body; it was Nessie. The deer were part of the past; all he could think about was saving Nessie.

Nessie backed away from the bike with her hands over her mouth. Tears streamed openly down her cheeks, and she began to hyper-ventilate. Through the tears she felt a familiar thirst creeping up on her.

"What is it?" Jacob demanded as he ran through the trees, pulling on a pair of worn black sweatpants in the process.

"Do something, Jacob!" she shrieked, looking at the seemingly lifeless body of a young man. He ran over and quickly checked for a pulse. There was a weak one, but just barely. Tears continued to run down Nessie's cheeks.

"We'll take him to Carlisle." It was the first thing he could think of, and hopefully it would work.

At the Cullens', the family was sitting around the main room, talking and joking around like a proper family.

"Does someone want to tell me how my nice, _new_ granite counter top in the kitchen got a large chip taken out of the corner?" Esme pressed. The four younger Cullens all looked at each other, causing her to press her lips together in a fine line.

"Someone probably _could_, but you probably don't want to know," Jasper replied, earning him a high five from Emmett.

"Nice recovery!" he exclaimed. Esme opened her mouth to continue her scolding, but the scent of blood wafted through the open window, catching the attention of all six vampires. Seconds later, Jacob and Nessie burst through the front door, in his arms was the bloody figure of a young man. Carlisle was on his feet and by Jacob's side in less than a second.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Nessie found him." Nessie stood frozen in the doorway.

"Give me." Jacob handed over the limp form. "Emmett, go set up the bed in the spare room. Esme, get my bag. Jasper, Jacob needs some fresh clothes. Alice, Rosalie, take care of Nessie." In a flash, everyone leapt into action. Nessie was vaguely aware of being led over to the couch by Alice.

"Where are my parents?" she asked in a dazed voice. The second the words were out of her mouth, Rosalie had her phone out and was dialing.

"Rose is calling them, honey. They'll be right here," Alice assured before pulling the trembling young girl to her in an attempt to sooth her.

meanwhile, Bella moaned with undeniable pleasure as she felt Edward's flesh pressed against hers. A hundred years together and such a glorious feeling never got old.

"Isabella," he whispered huskily in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. Right as they both reached their peak, the house phone began to ring.

"Leave it," she urged before kissing him hungrily. Edward was only too happy to comply. He latched his lips to hers without a second thought.

"Edward, Bella, its Rosalie…" The voice drifted in from the family room. The distress in her voice was obvious. "We really need you to come by, Nessie­-" Edward leapt out of bed and flew across the room to grab the nearest phone.

"Rose, what happened?" Bella climbed out of bed and joined her husband. Luckily she could hear what Rosalie was saying.

"You guys need to be here, Nessie's pretty worked up."

"What happened?" Edward repeated forcefully.

"Just come down here right now!" Rosalie snapped. Edward hung up the phone and turned around to find Bella already dressed. There was a sense of urgency in the air as he pulled on his clothes. Lucky for them this only took a few seconds.

Jacob held Nessie close and tried his very best to calm her down but to no avail. She curled into his chest, trembling and crying. They were pain-filled cries that tore him in two. He was powerless to take away her pain and to erase the images from her mind. No one should be subjected to such a terrible experience, especially during what was supposed to be a wonderfully romantic evening.

Bella was the first one through the front door. right away, she ran to Nessie and knelt down in front of her.

"What happened, sweetie?" she cooed as she gathered her up in her arms like a small child. Instead of telling her, Nessie pressed her hand to Bella's cheek and replayed the entire ordeal for her. "Oh honey," Bella soothed when she was finished. Edward entered the room from upstairs.

"Carlisle needs you, Jacob," he said calmly. Jacob's head shot up.

"Me?" Edward nodded. Jacob gave Nessie's trembling shoulder a reassuring squeeze before reluctantly leaving her and going upstairs.

Edward took Jacob's seat on the couch and did his best to wrap his arms around Nessie. She leaned back against him and took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. He planted a fatherly kiss on the top of her head.

"What are they doing up there, Daddy?" she sounded like such a small, helpless child, which pulled on Bella's heart mercilessly. They all knew what was going on up there, but no one had the heart to say it. Nessie's question was answered by a blood-curdling scream coming from upstairs. The Cullens and Jacob, with the exception of Carlisle, all came down the stairs calmly as if there was no horrid noise filling every corner of the house. Nessie shuddered against Edward; she had never in her life heard such a sound.

For the next several days, Edward and Bella kept Nessie home. The trauma from the hunting trip slowly melted away, leaving her free to recover and return to her usual life. Nobody dared to mention what was going on with the rest of the family, they all knew what was happening.

While Nessie slept, Bella and Edward were curled up in bed together having a serious conversation.

"Carlisle's been thinking about moving to Denali once the transformation is complete," Edward informed her.

"Then school this year is out of the question." There was the faintest hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Maybe just for the time being. We'll either come back here or move to another town with a school. We have an eternity to go to school." She leaned up and kissed his jaw softly.

"What do we tell Renesme?"

"She already has a feeling. She's a smart girl, Bella, she knows what's going on around her."

"Yeah, our family is being warped and reshaped," Bella replied bitterly.

**A/N:** If anyone here is big into role playing or knows someone that is, please check out my homepage!

~Tina101


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

The screams only lasted one day until they died down into nothing. This was a great relief to everyone in the house. Carlisle spent the majority of his time locked in the upstairs room while everyone else stayed downstairs. Alice sat on the couch with a vacant look on her face. Try as she might, their future was full of clouded faces, hazy settings and muffled voices. There was too much uncertainty to get anything clear at the time being. She scowled.

"Its okay, Alice," Jasper assured from his seat on the arm of the couch.

"No it's not, Jazz!" she sighed as she leaned against him. After all this time, she still wasn't used to the large holes in her foresight. Over the years, however, the holes gradually changed into a haze as she became more and more familiar with beings like Nessie and Jacob.

"Just give things a little more time to clear up; they will soon." She smiled. Leave it to Jasper to try and make her feel better; he didn't even need to use his powers for her, he knew her that well. "I love you, Ali." She smiled at his own personal nickname for her.

"I love you too, Jazz."

The steady heartbeat began to race; it was a sign of the beginning of the end. Carlisle looked up from his book for a second. Emmett walked past the doorway, stopped and entered the room.

"What's up, Carlisle?" he asked.

"Hello, Emmett. The transformation should be complete in a few hours." Carlisle gently closed his book.

"Then what?" the younger Cullen asked as he leaned casually against the wall with his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"We'll have to wait and see. Apparently Alice is having trouble seeing day to day, so anything could happen."

"That sucks." Carlisle nodded in agreement.

"Alice certainly is frustrated with this. In a few hours, however, things will begin to clear up for her." Emmett nodded. That would really put Alice in a better mood. Tensions weren't particularly high with her, Jasper made sure of that, but her stress level was evident to everyone else. This had to be tough for her; there was no doubt about that.

Meanwhile, Nessie and Jacob were spending some time together in her room. He was sprawled out across her bed while she was perched on the window seat.

"So much for a wonderful evening together," he commented bitterly. The faintest hint of a smile graced her lips.

"Next time, Jake, I promise. We'll have the best date possible." A goofy smile spread across his face, causing her to giggle. He rolled onto his side to face her.

"We'll go hunting, then down to the beach at La Push, and then…" he trailed off.

"Then this?" Nessie asked innocently before launching herself at him. With surprising stealth, she managed to roll him over and pin him under her. Her rusty curls hung around her beautiful face like a curtain. She smiled down at him mischievously, reminding him that she was no longer the child she appeared to be.

Right when Nessie leaned down to press her lips against Jacob's, there was a sharp knock on the door. They both sighed. Edward always made a habit of interrupting at the most inconvenient times.

"Renesme, we're going to head up to the house; everything's going to finish up there any minute now," Bella explained through the door. Nessie rolled her eyes.

"'Kay Mom, be right there." She left a lingering kiss on Jacob's slightly parted lips. "I love you," she whispered. Her warm breath tickled his deeply tanned skin, which caused his heart to race even more.

"Renesme!" Bella snapped. Nessie rolled her eyes once again.

The Cullens, Jacob included, were all gathered in the spacious bedroom waiting for the end. Nessie eyed the young man from behind both Edward and Emmett. He had light brown hair streaked with blonde highlights. He had sharp, defining features but wasn't all too handsome like other vampires. It was almost as if something from his human life had caused him to look this way.

"Carlisle's thinking the same thing," her father told her softly. Part of Nessie wanted to shrink back behind the protection of Edward and Emmett, but something much stronger kept her captivated by the stranger. Deep down inside, she knew that she had seen him before, but the memory was too hazy to properly recall.

The young man stirred in his simple double bed. Carlisle looked to Edward, who nodded. Alice scowled in frustration for not knowing what was going on in their future. Carlisle took a step towards the bed. it was then that Nessie noticed that their guest was awake. She silently slid from behind Emmett and Edward to get a better view of what was going on. Everyone was too busy to really notice.

"Can you hear me?" Carlisle asked in his gentle yet professional voice. The young man's head whipped around, soaking everything in. When he caught sight of the crowd of people, he leapt off the bed into a defensive crouch. Carlisle held his hands up peacefully. "I know how traumatizing all of this can be, we're not going to harm you." The young man growled. His eyes continued to scan the room, freezing when he saw Nessie. Everything happened so fast. He lunged at her, but at the same time Edward leapt through the air to stop him. Edward, however, was the weaker of the two and was thrown against the wall. When Jasper and Emmett saw this, they tackled the newborn, pinning him to the ground. Between the two of them, he wasn't going anywhere. All of this took place in a matter of seconds. Nessie stood frozen in place, wide-eyed.

"Come on, Renesme," Bella gently insisted as she grabbed her trembling hand and lead her out of the room with Jacob hot on her heels.

Out in the hallway, Bella pulled Nessie into her strong arms and rubbed her back soothingly. Jacob stood back helplessly, not knowing what to do.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Bella asked softly. Nessie nodded into her mother's shoulder. She was still shaking.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Mom." Bella was reluctant to let her go. someone had tried to go after and harm her baby. Her understanding of the unquenchable thirst was nothing compared to the actual thirst, so she couldn't fully comprehend why this ahd just happened.

The bedroom door opened and closed. The voices in the bedroom got momentarily louder, but Bella drowned them out.

"Bella," Edward said. She let go of Nessie and turned to face him. His attention, however, was currently on Jacob. After a few seconds, he nodded slightly.

"Come on, Ness, let's go downstairs," Jacob said as he took her hand. Although his voice was gentle, she knew that she had no say in the matter. She laced her fingers with his and followed him downstairs away from the turmoil.

Once Nessie and Jacob were gone, Edward turned his attention to Bella and the situation at hand.

"He's a newborn, he didn't know," he defended right away. She had almost no understanding about what it was like to be a proper newborn.

"I know." She paused. "Who exactly is 'he'?" Edward leaned against the wall with his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

"His name is Dean. From what he told us, he just moved to a place a few towns over, and he crashed his bike in the woods. He probably would have died." She nodded understandingly.

"How's he taking this?" Edward shrugged.

"It's a lot to take in. Carlisle and Alice are doing their best to ease him into it all." Bella chewed nervously on her bottom lip; there was more she longed to talk about.

"Edward, did you see his-"

"Dean."

"Dean's face? It's like its scarred or something."

"Everyone noticed that, but Jasper is scarred too."

"Those are scars from killing newborns, they came after he was a vampire. Dean was transformed and automatically looks…different than regular vampires." Frustration overtook Bella when she couldn't describe the difference in Dean's appearance. He didn't look like the vampires from Romania, but the deformities were similar in nature.

"I know; it puzzles us all." Edward cupped her face in his sturdy hand. Leaning into his loving touch, she closed her eyes and breathed in his wonderful scent. They could both hear the voices inside the bedroom wondering where they were.

"Let's go home," she insisted. "I don't want to stay." Her angry towards Dean for going after Nessie was still obvious.

"I'll tell Carlisle and Esme…" He turned to leave, but she grasped his hand firmly in hers.

"No, I just want to leave," she insisted before pressing her lips against his in an urgent kiss. "Please Edward," she breathed against his lips. He could tell that there was something off about Bella, but he couldn't quite figure out what.

Meanwhile, Nessie and Jacob were on the plush couch away from everything going on upstairs. Wordlessly, she reached over and ran her fingers through his shaggy waves and trailed her fingertips along his sturdy jaw.

"I think I'm going to cut my hair soon," he told her, causing her to pout.

"Please don't, Jake, I like it long. Mom always talks about when your hair was long, and I like it longer." He sighed.

"It's easier to transform." She continued to pout. There was no way he could resist her pout, and they both knew that. "Maybe I'll just trim it." She smiled. "Wanna go down to La Push tonight?" he asked completely out of the blue, catching Nessie off guard.

"La Push?" she repeated. Her slender fingers drifted back to his hair.

"Yeah, you know the reservation where I sometimes decide to live. It might be nice to have a night to ourselves." She smiled even wider than before. After the last few days some time at La Push might be nice and somewhat relaxing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

For some reason, Bella still felt reluctant to meet Dean. He had tried to hurt her baby, sure, but there was still something else about him that she could quite place. She kept these feelings from Edward; he didn't need to worry about her like that. There was, however, no way to avoid an introduction. She and Edward ran through the woods to the big house where everyone was waiting for them.

At the big house, there were still doubts about Bella showing up despite Alice's constant assurances that she was in fact on her way with Edward.

"Don't worry about Bella, she can't do anything to you," Emmett assured with a twinkle in his eyes. Rosalie whacked his shoulder. If he wanted to make Dean feel better about yesterday, he wasn't doing a very good job.

Bella felt Edward's arm slide around her waist as they mounted the stairs to the big house. The new scent from Dean was awkward in the Cullens' house, like it didn't fit in at all. The new changes around here would take some time to get used to. Deep down inside, Bella had a feeling that this situation with Dean as a whole wasn't going to end well. Edward gave her a reassuring squeeze as they entered the house.

The first person Bella saw in the house was Dean. He looked so out of place in the Cullen household. When he saw Bella, he got to his feet. Before she could even get stressed out, a wave of peace washed over the room. Edward shot Jasper a thankful look before turning back to Dean.

"How are you feeling?" he asked politely. Leave it to Edward to always put his manners first.

"Thirty, but they said that it'll pass."

"It will," Edward assured. He smiled at Bella. "Dean, this is my wife, Bella Cullen." Before she could even react, he was gone; she was alone on one side of the room with Dean.

"Dean St. Louis," Dean said as he extended his hand. When Bella shook it, she took notice to the fact that he was hesitant to let go but didn't let that bother her.

"Isabella Cullen, but everyone calls me Bella."

"It's very nice to meet you, Bella."

"Same here." Bella put on her best smile she could in front of Dean and everyone else, but her apprehensions about him on increased. How could everyone be so blind?

Later that evening, all the Cullens, including Nessie (who was extremely close to Edward, Jasper _and_ Emmett) and Jacob were gathered in the living room; they were trying to figure out the next step.

"our best bet would be to go up to Denali for a year or so," Carlisle pointed out from his seat on the couch next to Esme. She rested her hand on his knee as if it was completely natural.

"What about school, Grandpa?" Nessie pressed with nothing but disappointment in her voice.

"Maybe next time, sweetie," Rosalie cooed from her seat on the floor next to Alice. Nessie pouted.

"Denali?" Dean repeated.

"In Alaska, that way we have some distance between us and humans while you adjust," Jasper replied. Dean nodded understandingly. Carlisle got to his feet.

"I'll call Tanya," he said before leaving the room with cell phone in hand.

**A/N:** I won't even begin to apologize or tell you what's been going on. let's just say I had a death in my immediate family followed by me starting my freshman year in college, and I've been adjusting. Thanks for sticking with me!

~Tina101


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